A plan for Gaza
Israel’s Finance Minister, Yair Lapid, is leading a diplomatic initiative to involve the world powers and moderate regional actors in the demilitarization and rehabilitation of Gaza.
Yair Lapid
Lapid’s plan is to effect this through an international conference which will include the United States, Russia, the European Union, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan.
Finance Minister Yair Lapid, a member of the security cabinet, is leading a diplomatic initiative in the past few days to demilitarize Gaza and the transfer of authority in the Gaza Strip to the Palestinian Authority while maintaining Israel’s strategic security interest. The initiative calls for an international conference hosted by Egypt and to include the United States, European Union, Russia, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Israel and moderate Arab states including Saudi Arabia.
The initiative also calls for the involvement of states which will provide economic support for the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip and the creation of projects which will lead to long term economic cooperation in the region. The principle aim of the conference is the demilitarization and rehabilitation of Gaza and the return of the Palestinian Authority to the Gaza Strip with support from the international community.
Finance Minister Lapid said that Operation Protective Edge cannot, and will not, end without a diplomatic front. Without a diplomatic process any attempt to find a solution will simply begin the countdown to the next outbreak of violence. Only a diplomatic process can make stability possible and create the foundation for a future solution.
The conference will be based upon two tracks – one which will outline the principles of the agreement to demilitarize and rehabilitate the Gaza Strip and return the Palestinian Authority to Gaza. That track will include representatives from Egypt, Israel, the US, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States and representatives of the Quartet.
The second track will focus on the economic aspects for the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip and the creation of economic ties between Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the Arab world. The track will include Norway, the United Nations, the United States, the Quartet, World Bank, Canada, Japan, Russia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia.
The four aims of the conference will be:
- The return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza
- The positioning of the Palestinian Authority as the responsible party for the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip with the funds going through the PA only, including the payment of salaries
- Agreement on terms for the rehabilitation in exchange for increased security for the citizens of Israel (prevention of re-armament)
- Outlining the method to prevent the strengthening of terror, ensure the demilitarization of Gaza and the removal of the threat from tunnels and rockets
Jewish mothers with empty arms once again:…. “Their memory yours to treasure, others to revere”. {Moshe Dayan Soldier of Israel}.
Sons of Israel? No greater love have they that lay down their lives for others and for their homeland’s peace and security.
Let’s get this straight.
Yair Lapid is a member of the Security Cabinet.
He oversaw the recent Gaza war, where Israel failed to eradicate Hamas by prosecuting this war while tying one of its own hands behind it’s back.
Where it followed the letter of the “Purity of Arms” doctrine which dictated that it musn’t hit this and musn’t hit that, or called off strikes literally at the last second as there MAY have been someone deemed “innocent” nearby.
Where it succumbed to the dictates of the USA under the current leadership of Obama, Kerry & Co. together with the Europeans and media such as CNN dictating what must and must not be done.
Now we see him calling on the same group including the EU, Russia, Jordan and the PA to get together for a conference, the same group who did everything to make sure that Israel did not do what was in its sovereign rights to do and that is be victorious for once in a war with a sworn adversary. This war had to end with Hamas raising the white flag but again Israel failed to deliver because of lack of will from the top and an insane war doctrine which no country on the face of the earth would adhere to.
Maybe he should also invite Wolf Blitzer from CNN or a representative from the New York Times to come to the conference to put their views forward on what should or should not be done.
One has to wonder if Israel is even capable of ever getting anything right.
An insane democracy that actually invites groups/countries who are not sympathetic to its plight to come and tell it what to do.
And this man is in the Security Cabinet!
God save Israel from itself.